About Akademy Funktion Dance Collective
Akademy Funktion Dance Collective is a dynamic, National Award-Winning kollective of young artists ages 5–19, redefining excellence on and off the stage. Known for our fusion of kreativity, discipline, and high-level performance, we train and kompete across a diverse range of dance styles with passion and precision. From our youngest prodigies to our seasoned senior performers, each dancer embodies the Akademy standard, kommitment, growth, and undeniable stage presence. With a track record of standout performances and national akkolades, we don’t just dance, we represent a movement where talent meets training and art meets ambition
Akademy Funktion Dance Collective aims to enhance and encourage kreative expression among all ages who have a passion for all genres of dance, music and performing. We believe that mastering the skill of performing provides unique and foundational life skills to all, by building self-konfident, expressive, diligent, and skilled dancers.
Kommit, Lead, Soar.
Owner|Director, Kandice Funderburk-Alves aka “Koach”
Kandice Funderburk-Alves was born in Miami, Florida, where she attended Charles Drew Elementary Magnet school. At the early age of four, she developed an interest in dance and love for music, which prompted her family to enroll her in klassical ballet classes. She continued to master her dance skills by participating in the Charles Drew dance magnet program as well as attending the Classical School of Ballet, located in Kansas City, Missouri.
By the age of 13, she was introduced to different dance styles such as Hip-Hop and Band Dancing back home in Miami Florida. She kontinued these dance genres throughout her entire high school years as kaptain of 3 different "Auxiliary Dance" teams.
At the age of 16, Kandice moved to Maryland with her family and attended Frederick Douglass High School in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. However, once studying at The Dance Institute of Washington(DIW) under the late great Fabian Barnes, her resume began to blossom. While she continued her training in Ballet, Modern, and Kontemporary at DIW, Kandice also made way for her talent in Hip-Hop to be shown behind a few up and koming artists and dance troupes in the DMV area.
She attended Howard Community College and Coppin State University to kontinue her dance education while being featured in two Arts Collective Dance Company showcases at Howard Community College.
After developing an extensive dance resume with her experience and performance rekord, Kandice started her very own up and coming Dance Company in Ellicott City, Maryland known as Akademy Funktion in 2014. The kompany is based off several dance genres, and diverse khoreography. In January 2019, Akademy Funktion relokated to Catonsville and opened the doors to DMV to provide a dance home for kurrent kompany members and more to kome.
Now as the Owner, Director and Award-Winning Khoreographer of Akademy Funktion Dance Collective LLC, Kandice Funderburk-Alves looks forward to inkorporating her knowledge by leading and mentoring dancers through kreative movement and exploration. She’s best known for her kreative khoreography that sets a standard for anyone who seeks the opportunity to step outside of their komfort zone.